Rookie who could use some safety advise

[ful-rac]

Originally Posted by Sharkbait123

Hello everyone,

I am new to ocean kayaking. I want to fish the Point Loma/La Jolla kelp beds. Could I trouble you for some advise about any safety concerns I may not know about? Sharks precautions are one of them. I am a terrified of em, but can't let that stop me from fishing. Thank you. Also, I heard some guys talking about bleeding fish while on a kayak. Seems like a bad idea to me, or an I over-thinking this? any help would be appreciated.

I'd be scared!

[driftwood]

Are you afraid of playing baseball cause you might get hit? Dude, Don't strike out in life by being afraid!!! SWING and don't worry about the sharks!

[AirborneYak]

Originally Posted by driftwood

Are you afraid of playing baseball cause you might get hit? Dude, Don't strike out in life by being afraid!!! SWING and don't worry about the sharks!

That's a high quality gif.

[DanaPT]

that's a hell of a pitch.

[nickc5]

2 seam city. What this guy said!

Originally Posted by driftwood

Are you afraid of playing baseball cause you might get hit? Dude, Don't strike out in life by being afraid!!! SWING and don't worry about the sharks!

[taggermike]

Monstafish nailed it. Great advise in his post. Start out in the bays perhaps and build your comfort zone. Surf skills are a great helpfor safety, saving you gear, and opening up new areas and launched besides LJ shores. Practicing self rescue is vital because eventually you're gonna tip over. You can even practice in a pool.

And as for sharks; just do your thing. Bees, dogs, ladders, slipping in the tub, n choking on grist kill so many more people. I've been yak fishing 15 years, surfing for 35, 10 I'm Humboldt county, spear fished for 15, and been on the water my whole life and have see only seen 1 shark that worried me. Off Nags Head in north Carolina I hooked a 6' black tip with cobia fishing. Cut the line and we went our separate ways. Mike

[Kayak_Bernie]

So here is a bit of perspective, in 2014 there were approximately 2,700 traffic related deaths in California, a state with a population of 38 Million people, which essentially means that 0.0071% of the population of the state was killed in a traffic accident.

By comparison in 2014 there were 4 shark bites in California, none of them deadly that works out to .000011% of the population

Just by looking at those per/capita numbers it means you are at least 700 times more likely to die in a traffic accident than you are to be involved in a non-fatal shark attack.

These are very basic statistic and they do not take into account many of the specific variables, but generally speaking be glad you don't in Florida, where shark attacks occur more than anywhere else in the WORLD. Also be smart, go with a friend, don't hang bloody fish over the side of the kayak, Don't fish near a seal rookery during their breeding season.

It is natural to worry about sharks, they are very elusive and powerful animals, but they don't want to eat a person, or a kayak, they want a fat blubbery sea lion or seal.

Be safe out there and catch some fish!!

[cabojohn]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

I'd be scared!

Need more proof than this?? /\
Once you hit the water YOU are part of the FOOD CHAIN.
I'd be eskeerd too!

[Hunters Pa]

Originally Posted by cabojohn

Need more proof than this?? /\
Once you hit the water YOU are part of the FOOD CHAIN.
I'd be eskeerd too!

And you aint at the top of the chain

[Zed]

So lesson learned is DO NOT pedal a dune(olive?)Hobie.
Got it.

[captnblood34]

[QUOTE=ful-rac;230827]I'd be scared! QUOTE]